Esclarmonde
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Operas by Jules Massenet |
|---|
La grand'tante (1867) |
Esclarmonde is an opera (Opera romanesque) in four acts and eight tableaux, with prologue and epilogue by Jules Massenet, to a French libretto by Alfred Blau and Louis de Gramont, based on the medieval novel (tale) Parthénopéus de Blois.[1]. It was first performed at the Opéra Comique in Paris on May 14, 1889 with American soprano Sybil Sanderson in the title role[2] [3] Esclarmonde is perhaps Massenet's most ambitious work for the stage and is his most Wagnerian in style and scope. It has been revived sporadically in the modern era, most notably in the 1970s with acclaimed soprano Joan Sutherland, conducted by Massenet champion Richard Bonynge. The role of Esclarmonde is notoriously difficult to sing, [4] with stratospheric coloratura passages that are possible for only the most gifted of performers.
Contents |
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, May 14, 1889 (Conductor: Jules Danbé) |
|---|---|---|
| Esclarmonde, daughter of the Emperor | soprano | Sybil Sanderson |
| Parséїs, her sister | mezzo-soprano | Mlle Nardi |
| Roland, Count of Blois | tenor | Étienne Gibert |
| Énéas, Knight-Errant to Parséis | tenor | M. Herbert |
| The Bishop of Blois | baritone | Max Bouvet |
| Phorcas, Emperor of Byzantium | bass | Emile-Alexandre Taskin |
| Cléomer, King of France | baritone | Boudouresque, fils |
[edit] Synopsis
The story is based on a medieval legend and revolves around Esclarmonde, an empress and sorceress of Byzantium. Sequestered by her emperor father, Phorcas, who has recently abdicated the throne to her, she bemoans her love for Roland, a knight and Count of Blois, believing she will never be allowed to be with him. Following a suggestion from her sister, Parséis, Esclarmonde uses her magic powers to transfer Roland to the magic island where she joins him and continues to do so on a nightly basis and, hiding behind a veil, never reveals her identity. She reveals to him also that his country is in danger, attacked and besieged by the Saracens, and grants him the magic sword with help of which he will be capable to defeat the enemy, and will serve him well as long as he will remain faithful to her.
Roland then goes to help the besieged Blois and wins the battle with the leader of the Saracens, and in reward is granted by the king of France the hand of his royal daughter. But Roland refuses to accept that offer not disclosing the reason of doing so. When he finally confesses his nightly tryst to the Bishop of Blois, Bishop and a group of monks intervene on her arrival, performing an exorcism and in crucial moment manages to tear off her veil and thus reveals her identity. Feeling betrayed, Esclarmonde, in her bravura aria O Roland, tu m'as trahie, et me voilà, rebukes Roland for his faithlessness. Although he then tries at the last moment to use his sword to defend her from monks, the magic sword shatters to pieces, and Esclarmonde, surrounding herself in ring of fire, cursing Roland, disappears.
The ex-emperor, upon hearing of Esclarmonde's disobedience, summons her to himself and insists she renounce Roland on threat of loosing her magic powers and his execution. Reluctantly, she submits and when Roland is brought before her she implores him to forget her. There is then a tournament to award a victorious knight Esclarmonde's hand in marriage. When the winner, clad all in black, is asked his name, he replies "despair," and refuses the hand of Esclarmonde. Esclarmonde recognizes that voice immediately, however, as the one belonging to Roland, and when her veil is lifted he recognizes her as well and all hail the new empress and her valiant consort.
[edit] History of performances
- World premiere at Opéra Comique, Paris on May 14, 1889. After the premiere performances there reached 100 within a year.
- Next few years bring performances at: Bordeaux, Lyons, Brussels, Geneva, and then in Saint Petersburg (sung in Russian).
- The U.S. premiere at the French Opera House, New Orleans on February 10, 1893.[5]
- Paris revival 1921 (Fanny Heldy sung title role there)
- Only limited revival during 1930s at Paris and Brussels.
- War Memorial Opera House (San Francisco) October/November 1974 (Joan Sutherland in title role)
- The Metropolitan Opera 1976 (Joan Sutherland again)
- Royal Opera House, London November 28, 1983 (Joan Sutherland for the last time).
- Teatro Regio di Torino, November/December 1992 Alexandrina Pendatchanska and Dominique Gless shared the title role there.
- Washington Concert Opera April 8, 2005: concert performance, Celena Shafer in title role.[6]
[edit] Selected recordings
- Esclarmonde (November 8, 1974, LIVE). Clifford Grant (The Emperor Phorcas), Joan Sutherland (Esclarmonde), Huguette Tourangeau (Parséis), Giacomo Aragall (The Chevalier Roland), William Harness (Enéas), Philip Booth (Cléomen, King of France), Robert Kerns (The Bishop of Blois), Gary Burgess (A Saracen Envoy, A Byzantine Herald), War Memorial Opera House Orchestra and Chorus, cond. Richard Bonynge. Living Stage. 1110 (2CDs), MONO (quasi-stereo)[9].
- Esclarmonde (1975). Joan Sutherland (Esclarmonde), Huguette Tourangeau (Parséis), Clifford Grant (L'Empereur Phorcas), Giacomo Aragall (Le Chevalier Roland), Louis Quilico (L'Evêque de Blois), Ryland Davies (Enéas), Robert Lloyd (Cléomer, Roi de France), John Alldis Choir, National Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Richard Bonynge. Decca. 475 7914 4 (3CDs). STEREO STUDIO.
- Esclarmonde (December 11, 1976): Metropolitan Opera LIVE radio broadcast. Joan Sutherland, Huguette Tourangeau, Clifford Grant, Giacomo (Jaime) Aragall, Louis Quilico, cond. Richard Bonynge, available from the MetOpera radio during periodical re-broadcasts on Sirius Radio or "music on demand" at Rhapsody.
- Esclarmonde (1992): Alexandrina Pendachanska (Esclarmonde), Teatro Regio di Torino LIVE; VHS Video Casette, Premiere Opera Ltd. Video 2777 (NTSC) (reissued 2004).
- Esclarmonde (1994). Denia Mazzola, José Sempere, Hélène Perraguin, Christian Tréguier, Jean-Philippe Courtis, Guy Gabelle, Choeurs du Festival Massenet, Orchestre symphonique Franz Liszt, Budapest, cond. Patrick Fournillier. Koch-Swann 1269-2 (3CDs)
[edit] Instrumentation
- Woodwinds: 3 flutes (incl. also piccolo), 3 oboes (incl. also English horn), 3 clarinets (incl. also bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (incl. also double bassoon)
- Brass: 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba
- Timpani, percussion (incl. snare drum, triangle, tam-tam, glockenspiel, crash cymbals, orchestral bass drum)
- Organ
- Strings, 2 harps
- Choir
[edit] Notes
- ^ That tale was discovered by Blau in the library of Blois in 1871, at first offered in 1882 to the Belgian composer Auguste Gevaert who, however, did nothing with it.
- ^ Sybil Sanderson's Triumph, New York Times, May 1889
- ^ Miss Sanderson in Massenet's opera, New York Times, June 1, 1889.
- ^ The Standard Opera Guide by G.P. Upton and F. Borowski (Blue Ribbon Books, 1885-1928) on p. 183 describes one of Esclarmonde's aria in the third act as "extremely brillant and difficult, making exacting demands upon the voice." And no wonder: in that whole opera are numerous moments requiring voice range, as written, from low G (under the middle C) up to top G (over top C)!
- ^ Although Metropolitan Opera planned originally to show Esclarmonde already during 1890-91 season, that plan, however, never materialized.
- ^ Review from Ionarts, part 1
- ^ Review from Ionarts, part 2
- ^ Review from Washington Post
- ^ See Pseudo stereo method subsection in Stereophonic sound
